Chapter 107: Ch 107: Dirt Fights and First Flutter

As the sun continued to warm the village, the alphas on the field kept working diligently. Qin Yuran drove the hoe into the soil one final time, then straightened with a long breath. She had finally finished tilling. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, smearing dirt across her pretty face without a second thought.

The dirt did not bother her. She stretched her sore back carefully, trying to ease the stiffness, then picked up both the hoe and the shovel and began walking toward the staff members.

As she passed Zhao Yichen’s section she could not resist. Even through the lingering ache in her body, a teasing grin spread across her face.

"Looking good there, buddy," she called to the still-panting Zhao Yichen.

Zhao Yichen straightened and glared at her. "Shut it, pretty face," he huffed, still driving the hoe into the ground.

Qin Yuran laughed and tilted her head. She pointed at herself with exaggerated innocence. "You think I’m pretty?" she asked, pouring every bit of her acting skill into the tone.

Zhao Yichen stopped and stared at her as though she had grown a second head. "What is wrong with you?" he asked, pure disbelief mixed with annoyance.

Qin Yuran burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. "Haha, you should’ve seen the look on your face!"

Zhao Yichen’s eyes narrowed. He scooped up a handful of soil and threw it at her. The dirt hit her squarely on the face.

Qin Yuran’s eyes widened. "Hey!" she yelled.

Zhao Yichen only laughed louder. Qin Yuran glared, scooped up her own handful of dirt, and flung it back. It landed on Zhao Yichen’s previously pristine white shirt. His eyes went round.

"You idiot!" he shouted, grabbing more dirt. "I’m wearing white!" He threw it. The clump struck Qin Yuran right in the face, dirtying her further. Fortunately she had kept her mouth closed.

Qin Yuran wiped her cheek, then immediately retaliated, aiming for the white shirt again and laughing at the way Zhao Yichen’s expression twisted. "You idiot, who told you to wear white?" she taunted.

Zhao Yichen’s eyelid twitched. He threw more dirt. Qin Yuran threw more back. Within seconds the two of them were locked in a full dirt war, looking exactly like a pair of prideful children.

Gu Chengze, meanwhile, had no energy to comment on their behavior. He was still busy wrestling a massive rock out of his plot. After finally heaving it free he planted both hands on his knees and panted hard.

"Ha... Ha..." He glared at the rock as though it had personally wronged him. This stupid rock! He straightened and returned to work, eyes burning.

This must be a planned sabotage! He thought, driving the shovel into the ground with furious force. The cold man’s face, PD Xu Cui’s face, and Su Wanyan’s face all flashed through his mind. It must be their work! They purposely assigned this plot to make it harder for me!

He kept shoveling, pouring every bit of anger into the soil. I’ll pay this back tenfold! His teeth clenched and a murderous light flickered in his eyes.

From a distance Lin Xuanyu watched him with open worry. My poor CEO Gu, he thought, eyes watering. Then his gaze shifted to the two alphas still throwing dirt at each other and his expression hardened. Why aren’t they helping him?! Their only purpose is to help him! He was so thoroughly delusional that he genuinely believed the other guests existed solely to assist him and Gu Chengze.

While Lin Xuanyu remained lost in that fantasy, the two omegas—Song Meiyu and Han Jiho—simply watched their respective alphas with tired fondness.

Stupid, both of them thought, shaking their heads. Then the corners of their mouths curled upward. But mine. Soft laughter escaped them.

Just then the man, Su Wanyan, and Mo Xingxue walked back into view and took in the full scene of the two alphas covered in dirt and still flinging handfuls at each other.

Su Wanyan laughed out loud. "They’re so stupid," she said, the soft laughter continuing.

Mo Xingxue looked at her and smiled. "You can join them," she suggested, amusement clear in her voice.

Su Wanyan’s eyes widened. "M-me?" She glanced back at the two filthy figures, then at Mo Xingxue again.

Mo Xingxue only laughed and nodded. "Yeah. You don’t want to?"

Su Wanyan looked once more at the dirt-covered pair and then down at her own still-clean clothes. She shook her head. "No thank you."

Then her gaze drifted farther across the field and landed on the lone, struggling figure of Gu Chengze. She paused. A mischievous smile slowly curled her lips.

"On second thought...." she murmured, eyes fixed on the busy Gu Chengze.

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The sun hung high overhead, bathing the entire village in warm, bright light. Under that clear sky Leilei walked steadily forward, eyes scanning every open stretch of ground.

Where is she? She thought, a small frown of worry creasing her brow.

She kept moving, footsteps soft against the packed earth, gaze sweeping left and right. Just as the worry began to tighten in her chest, a bright peal of laughter drifted toward her from a short distance ahead.

Leilei’s head snapped up. Without another second of hesitation she bolted in that direction. When she reached the source of the sound she slowed, eyes widening.

She had arrived at a hidden pocket of the countryside completely surrounded by towering trees. Their thick trunks and broad canopies formed a natural shelter, as though the trees themselves were protecting the quiet space within.

Leilei slowed her steps further, looking around in quiet amazement. Wow.. we had a place like this? Even as a local child she had never known about this little grove. The discovery felt oddly special.

She walked a few more steps backward, still turning her head to take everything in. Even as a local, I didn’t know about this, she thought, finding the secrecy of the place a little strange.

The laughter rang out again, clearer and closer now. Leilei snapped out of her daze and looked toward the open space beyond the trees. She followed the sound once more, this time with hurried, unrestrained steps, ducking under low branches as she went.

Then the laughter suddenly stopped.

Leilei froze, waiting. Two full minutes passed in silence, but the sound did not return.

She frowned. Oh no.. how am I going to find her now? She cursed her luck under her breath. Did something happen for her laugh to just die like that? She thought, looking up into the canopy as she wondered, and worry for her new friend rose sharply.

Before the worry could grow any heavier, the laughter returned—closer, brighter, and unmistakable. Leilei stepped toward it, turning fully in the direction of the sound.

She froze mid-step.

Her eyes widened at the sight that met her.

There, beneath the shade of several towering trees, was the girl she had been searching for.

The branches stretched high overhead, their broad leaves filtering the afternoon sunlight into scattered patches of soft gold. Tucked away from the heat and the open fields, Shen Guoxing crouched beside a small stroller, laughing freely as she played with the baby inside.

Her laughter was bright and completely unrestrained, carrying easily through the quiet grove. Every time the little one reached toward her, Shen Guoxing leaned in with an equally delighted grin, making silly faces until the baby squealed with pure joy.

The sight stopped Leilei completely.

She stared.

Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly, and for some strange reason her fingers tightened around the hem of her shirt.

Why is my heart beating so fast? She wondered.

She had been running only moments ago, yet it was not the exertion that made her chest feel strangely tight. Her heartbeat seemed to have suddenly become loud enough for her to hear.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Shen Guoxing laughed again beneath the trees, and somehow that single sound made Leilei’s heart beat even faster.

She had seen plenty of people laugh before. The nuns at the orphanage laughed. Her friends laughed. She herself laughed whenever something was funny.

So why did this feel different?

She tilted her head slightly, watching from a careful distance.

The afternoon breeze stirred Shen Guoxing’s hair. Sunlight slipped between the leaves and briefly illuminated her face, making her seem almost impossibly bright against the cool shadows beneath the trees.

Leilei blinked, then blinked again, completely captivated by the sight.

What she did not notice was that the corners of her own mouth had lifted into the smallest, softest smile.

Her hand drifted unconsciously toward her chest. Thump. Thump. Thump. Her heart beat hard beneath her palm.

She blinked, confused.

Why was it doing that? She asked herself again, still finding no answer. She had only been worried because her new friend might have gotten lost. That was all.

So why did seeing her safe make her feel this strange warmth? Why did her chest feel light and tight at the same time? Why did she suddenly want to keep looking and never look away?

Shen Guoxing laughed once more, and the sound made Leilei’s heart flutter all over again.

She did not know what it meant.

After all, she was only a child. She did not yet have a name for the quiet feeling that was beginning to bloom inside her.

She only knew that she was deeply relieved her friend was safe.

That she liked watching her laugh. That she wanted to stay nearby a little longer. And that, for some inexplicable reason, she thought her new playmate was the most wonderful person she had ever seen.

Anyone watching her from afar might have understood the truth long before she did.

The way her eyes lingered.

The quiet tenderness in her gaze.

The little smile she could not seem to hide.

It was a look so innocent, so completely unguarded, that it could only be described one way.

Leilei had fallen in love before she even knew what love was.

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So, this is very VERY late, but like, I was sore with an event yesterday and I was so beaten that I couldn’t muster the strength to go on my desk and revised the Chapter (because I used all my remaining strength to go to the kitchen and eat LMAO).

Anyway, I couldn’t use my phone as the draft was on my laptop, and like, I don’t want to make another draft and waste the one I previously made, I was like, "They’ll understand..." (Translation: I’m lazy af, and you guys don’t have a choice but to wait). BUT AT LEAST, I finally released the Chapter, no?